However, life for Zheng was much harder than it was in the city, especially at the start, when food deliveries were disrupted due to sudden flooding in March 2022. Four months later, the area experienced a severe drought.

As Zheng was put to the test in his new job, he was offered a silver lining in the form of concerted efforts from rural villagers and the local authorities.

He worked with the villagers to ensure supplies reached guests during the flooding by creating a temporary road over muddy ground. He also drove guests across the mountains to the homestay.

"I sensed that everyone at the homestay was giving help and support to make a successful go of the business," Zheng said, adding that for the first time this gave him a sense of purpose beyond merely making money.

Despite the rough times in 2022, the homestay earned revenue of more than 2 million yuan ($279,900) — a major confidence boost for the villagers in developing rural tourism in Jinzhai and the surrounding area.

Years of working in big cities provided Zheng with the knowledge needed for homestay development in the county, where villagers approached him to ask about hotel service procedures, hygiene standards, and how to promote their homestays online.

"I suddenly felt that my years of working in big cities finally meant something," he said.

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